Lan Zhan nods, impossibly grateful. Uncle will not be happy if he is gone for too long. He is a good student and nephew, and he has almost never earned any punishment, but he is certain the ferule will be awaiting him after today. "Yes, shushu." He has a thousand questions, but he swallows those back, too, along with the panic that is trying to rise in him. "It is the day when we meet with our mother, but xiongzhang says she will be gone again today." They didn't quite argue -- they don't argue. But they disagreed, and Lan Zhan left for the Gentian House, and now he is here instead. "She might be expecting me."